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In his 23rd season, the longest career in NBA history, LeBron James continues to pile up triple‑doubles — this time against the Dallas Mavericks and, more metaphorically, Father Time. James became the oldest player to record a triple‑double on Thursday at 41 years and 44 days, doing so in the Los Angeles Lakers’ 124‑104 win over the Mavs. He finished with 28 points and 12 assists, securing his 10th rebound with 2:06 remaining. The crowd gave him a standing ovation when he left the game, celebrating his 123rd career triple‑double — the fifth‑most in NBA history.
James broke the record held for the past 22 years by Karl Malone, who recorded his final triple-double for the Lakers when he was 40 years and 127 days old.
“I guess I’m more appreciative of moments like this in my career, understanding where I’m at, at the later stage of my journey,” James said. “You definitely take it in a little bit more.”
While mere statistics and longevity records don’t do much for James at this stage in his historic career, he respects triple-doubles as a particularly good measure of the high level he is maintaining on the court.
Although he has missed 18 games this season due to injury, James was no charity case when he was chosen for his 22nd All-Star Game this weekend, and he proved it by dominating the Mavs while Luka Doncic was out with a hamstring strain.
“I think what it represents is pretty cool — the fact that you can go out and have an impact in three facets of the game,” James said.
Malone had held the record as the oldest player with a triple-double since he had 10 points, 11 rebounds and 10 assists on Nov. 28, 2003, during his final NBA season. James recorded the next 15 triple-doubles on that list, and he repeatedly came close to setting the record over the past year, but didn’t quite reach it until the Lakers’ final game before the All-Star break.
